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Things to check Posted by sam96CS [Email]  (#852) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from sam96CS) on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:07:55
In Reply to: HELP! - Overheating, JEMSaab  [Profile/Gallery]
, Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:14:16
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You're right that '94 and earlier have temperature guages that aren't smoothed out by the ECU. If you're seeing more fluctuation and higher peaks than you've seen before under comparable ambient temperature and driving conditions, then you need to investigate.
Forgive me if you've already done this, but have you checked the coolant level? That's a good place to start because it can take few thermal cycles for air to work its way out of the cooling system.
Was a genuine Saab 82 degree thermostat installed? The Saab thermostat is a three position part, and overheating can result if you have an aftermarket thermostat that doesn't operate the same way. The alignment of the thermostat also matters; if misaligned, then air can't bleed out properly. You definitely don't want air to be trapped in the engine's water passages.
How old are the hoses? If they have more than 60,000 miles on them, then that's another thing to check. The upper hose to the radiator and the upper heater hose are especially prone to wearing out because they are exposed to the highest temperatures. Hoses are made in layers and can be worn out on the inside even if they look okay on the outside. The little hose running from the radiator to the overflow reservoir can also wear out and cause overheating problems. The same conditions that killed your head gasket were also degrading your hoses.
I'm not ignoring the fan issue. I just concerned that the fans could mask an underlying problem in the rest of the cooling system. On the '95 and later Saabs the ECU operates the cooling fans and the temperature gauge. Your fans are operated by a thermoswitch. If I recall correctly, you can get a cooler thermoswitch that will turn on the fans sooner than the stock thermoswitch. It is possible to get a combination of thermostat and thermoswitch that will make the engine run too cool, so be careful that you don't overcorrect.
There's lots of good cooling system information posted at quasimotors, townsendimports and of course on this board. Much to read and well worth the effort. Chance favors the prepared mind. Good luck!
posted by 71.75.23...
, Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:14:16, Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:07:55 <-- Viewing This Message, Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:35:05, Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:30:35
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